Superheater



R. P. WAGNER Nov. 14, 1933.

SUPERHEATEB I5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May le, 19u

INVENTOR Ric ar BY (pz P. Wagner ATTORN EY R. P. WAGNER Nov.. 14, 1933.

SUPERHEATER Filed May 6. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ri C h ag.wa3ncr BY @ff ATTOR N EY R. P. WAGNER Nov. 14, 1933.

SUPERHEATER Filed May 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lag. 55

iii

INVEN TOR Rwymwagnet BY z ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1933 SUPERHEATER i VRichard P. Wagner, Berlin-Lichterfelde, Germany, assignor to The Superheater Company,

New York, N. Y.

Application May 6, 1931. serial No. 535,423 v 1 claim. (ci. 122-462) The-invention relates to superheaters for` locomotivesand more particularly to the type of these devices which ,comprise tubular superheating elements communicating with a header inthe .smokeboxf andV extending into`v flues through 'whiclifthe gases :pass on their way from` the rebox to the stack.

'Ihe-inventionrhasfor its purpose the provision of an improved form of such a superheater, 1m. and an illustrative example of the invention is shown in the drawings herewith. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of a locomotive with my invention in 13,. place, only as much of the locomotive being shown as is necessary to make clear the arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the arrangement showing the superheater in position, portions ofthe locomotive forward of the structure having been gomitted for the sake of clearness;

" Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c are plan views of three shapes of the superheater elements or units required in my invention; ,A

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View of a detail; and 1 25.4,... Fig. 5 is a transverse section of one of theflues and the superheater elements located in it.

The nues connecting the fire-'box 1 to they smoke-box 2 and which are to accommodate the tubular superheater elements or units are arg. ranged in four horizontal rows whichv are given 'the reference numerals 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d respectively. This is illustrative only as there may be more or less than four of these rows in some cases.

In the example shown there are six flues in each of the rows although heretoo this number may in practice vary depending upon conditions.

The dry pipe 3 conveys the steam in the usual way from the steam dome (not shown) to the header 5, a suitable opening for this purpose being made in the front flue sheet 6.

The steam, after being superheated, is conveyed from the header 5 to the steam chests (not shown) by means of the connections 5e.

The header 5 comprises a saturated steam chamber Sa'and a superheated steam chamber 5b "which extend transversely across the smoke-box. Connected to these two chambers 5a and blare a series of interleaved lingers 5c and 5d. Those marked 5c communicate with the saturated steam 59-,fchamber 5a, the intervening ones, marked 5d, 'communicating with the superheated steam chamber 5b. This is in accordance with usual practice and requires no further detailed description. It may, if preferred, be varied toA some wgextent.

ner. the drawings comprise bolts 8 engaging shoulders .heater units is shown The tubular superheating elements located infthe ilues 4a, 4b, icand 4d are simple, hairpin? shaped loops. The shapes required are illus-.- trated in Figs. 3a, Scand 3c.- `The reason for the diierence in the shapes will be clear `rfrom what is said below. The front endsv of these hairpinshaped units are connected to tubular subsidiary headers or sub-headers ,which inl turn comf, municate with the header lingers described above. The units of the top row 4a are secured to subheaders 7a lying nearest to the iiue sheet 6; the units lying in the row of nues 4b are connected to the sub-headers 7b; the units in row 4c are connected to sub-headers 7c, and the units in the row of flues lld are connected to the subheaders 7d which are at the greatest distance from the iiue sheet 6. Each of the sub-headers 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d has a straight vertical length and a straight lower portion inclined away from l the Vertical toward the flue sheet, the dimensions and shapes being such that the lower portions are all parallel to each other and terminate at the same distances from the ue sheet. Each subheader terminates just below the nue with which it is associated.

IIn each nue there are located, as mentioned above, three hairpin loops and their front ends are connected to a pair of sub-headers to form an integral structure. The details of the front ends of these loops and the means of securing them into the sub-header are illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be seen that the ends of the tubes are welded into the sub-headers. This welding is performed in any preferred manner. In practice I prefer to leave the lower end of the sub-header open until after the unit ends have been welded into the sub-header, after which a cap 7e is welded on to close the end. This lower end preferably extends a little below the level of the lowest of lthe three loops and forms a pocket in which impurities may collect to be removed at times when the assemblage is dismantled.

-The upper endsof the sub-headers are secured yto the header 5 in any known or preferred man- 'Ihe means shown by way of illustration in on'the lingers 5c and 5d and plates 9 into which the ends of the sub-headers are expanded. Other detailed means may of course be usedin this connection.

A cross-section through the flue and superin Fig. 5, and it will be observed that the superheater tubes lie in a circle concentric with the iiue.v This is the arrangement preferred by me because it assures that the volume of gas passing through the flue is broken up andV each part cornes into intimate contact with water cooled or steam cooled surfaces. In addition, this arrangement is very convenient when it is desired to blow out soot, cinders and other obstructions which may gather in the lues. To eiect this arrangement within the flue, the ends of the units have to be bent into shapes as illustrated in Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings. In my construction it will be noted there are required only two different shapes of hairpin units. The upper and lower units in each flue may be alike to bring the return bends at their rear ends to substantially the same point in the flue. In order not to oier too much obstruction to the gas flow through the flue, however, the middle unit is made of diferent length so that the location of its return bend does not coincide with that of the other two. This middle unit also has its two legs spread so that the six pipes lie in a circle as seen in cross section and as shown in Fig. 5. This figure gives the approximate dimensions of the flue and of the superheater elements according to my preferred construction.

In accordance with prior practice, there are in addition to the ues spoken of above, further and smaller re-tubes connecting the re-box with the smoke-box. Such tubes are illustrated at I. The cross-sectional area of these fire-tubes as compared with the free gas area of the superheater flues is made such that the resistance to the gas flow through them is substantially equal.

It will be noted from the above description that I provide a superheater arrangement which is extremely simple, which requires a minimum of shapes to be carried in stock, and which, when assembled, is freely accessible for cleaning and gives very good gas distribution through the lues.

What I claim is:

A superheater installation for boilers with hori- Zontally extending flues comprising a header arranged above the front end of and transversely to the flues, said header having groups of apertures in its lower face, the apertures of each group being alined parallel to the flues, sub-headers connected to said apertures and extending downwardly from the'header, and groups of tubular superheater elements connecting the sub-headers in pairs, all the'el'ements connecting any given pair of sub-headers extending into a single flue,` and the sub-headers all extending below the point of connection with the elements to form pockets for impurities. V y

RICHARD P. WAGNER. 

